22 June 2007

OOPS Further re-explaination of Faith vs Presumption

I apparently didn't do a good job of making a parable of faith and presumption. I guess I should try and read more of Jesus parables. :-)

Some people who are in the story, but not really in the story because I'm constructing fictional characters, based on real people and real situations, thought that my perceptions of them were based on what I said.

If that doesn't make sense to you, don't worry about it.

If that does make sense to you, understand that I wrote a hyperbole/parable/fictional story based on hearsay. What I wrote is not a historical account; it is an illustration to make a point. It was based on a real couple having a real baby that came out as a boy instead of a girl. There were people that thought it would be a girl.

The people in the story are characters that I made up, pulling from years of different church experiences. I was prompted to write my thoughts down regarding this issue, but it is not a documentary, commentary, or essay, based on interviews, personal first hand experience, or direct revelation from God:

Here's a good disclaimer (I re-worded to fit my post and not a movie):

All characters, names and places used in previous posts fiction and semifiction (whether online, in print or any other media) are fictitious and are used herein for the purposes of comment, criticism, parody, pointing out political and/or social injustice or any other purpose through which humanity is held up to the ridicule it frequently deserves. Any similarity to real people, without parodic purpose, is a coincidence. All trade names, product names and trademarks of third parties, including any trademarked characters, used in previous posts fiction and semifiction (whether online, in print or any other media) are used without the authorization of those third parties, and are used only for the purpose of parody and identification. No sponsorship, endorsement or affiliation by or with those third parties exists or should be implied.

So if you took offense, I do apologize because this is a sensitive issue when we talk about peoples faith. But, to be clearer than I was in the first post, this in no way respresents my opinions of what I think of the people I know that are involved.

The great question that comes from this, is, "What do we do when we don't hear from God when we thought we did?"

Thanks to someone involved who was mature enough to have lunch with me and clarify some things that I didn't know.

So my questions, in a grand theological sense, still stand. The specific account of the parable can be taken with a grain of salt. Which is true with any parable. It's just that mine wasn't very good at delineating fiction from non-fiction to the readers who are the inspiration for the story.

My next post will address some of the issues and answers we can have when we do miss hearing God, and what that should mean to our faith. And if I use any more parables that could be construed as a news, I'll call and ask first. ;-)

Blessings to you all, and thanks "Fred" for taking the time to discuss.